I joined Bates Wells as a solicitor in 2017, advising charities, not-for-profits, campaigners, and businesses seeking to have a positive social impact. Since joining the team, I’ve helped new organisations to set up as charities, assisted organisations with contractual and joint-working arrangements – including giving and receiving grant funding – and led multi-disciplinary teams advising on regulatory issues and engagement with the Charity Commission, including several high profile statutory inquiries.
As part of our specialist political and campaigning law team, I help political parties, candidates, donors, charities and issue-based campaigners navigate the complex regulatory environment that can be relevant to their electoral and policy goals – from election and referendum law to campaign finance, transparency of lobbying, and charity law.
I’m also particularly interested in helping clients who deliver public services to navigate the legal issues which can arise, and regularly advise on the public procurement and UK subsidy control (formerly EU state aid) rules.
- Regulatory investigations: Oxfam GB Together with Rosamund McCarthy, I advised Oxfam GB on the 16 month statutory inquiry, the most complex statutory inquiry ever undertaken by the Charity Commission, covering safeguarding governance and serious incident reporting.
- General Election 2019 With our multi-disciplinary team, I helped a number of non-party campaigners on national and local campaigns ahead of the UK General Election 2019, navigating charity law, spending limits and reputation management.
- Brighton and Hove Council – the Royal Pavilion and Museums Trust I advised on this high profile transfer of a portfolio of museums and heritage assets, including Brighton’s sea-front Royal Pavilion, to the new independent charitable Trust, working closely with the trustees and the local authority to help to put the new organisation on a solid footing for the future.
- Asda’s Fight Hunger Create Change campaign Philip Kirkpatrick and I advised Asda on its innovative programme to fund Fareshare and the Trussell Trust’s work, initially using carrier bag levy funds. We worked with closely with the client and the two food poverty charities to set-up the partnership, including advising on the structure, contractual terms, and compliance with charity fundraising legislation.
- I advise charities on their engagement with the Charity Commission, including applying for consents and filing serious incident reports, as well as on operational cases and inquiries
- I regularly advise campaign and electoral law, and delivered training to charities and other campaigners together with NCVO and the international development network Bond ahead of the General Election 2019
- I act on charity mergers and spin-outs, including advising the Start Network on its spin-out from Save the Children into a new independent membership organisation of humanitarian aid agencies.
- I advise on public procurement and UK subsidy control (formerly EU state aid)
- I have helped to establish and register new charities and social enterprises, including CIOs
- I advise on grant funding agreements and conditions
- I advise on fundraising and commercial participator arrangements, and engagement with the Fundraising Regulator
- I advise on constitutional and operational issues for charities and social enterprises, including advising on conflicts of interest, procedure and other governance matters
- I draft commercial agreements and terms of business